The circus set was sold from 1928 to 1930. It came with three flat or cage cars, boxcar, stock car, Performers car and locomotive. Although always shown with an 1134, some sets were sold with different engines - 3245s and 3243s have also been reported to have been found with these sets. The performers car was just any old passenger car from the IVES line, it had no special markings. Circus sets have been reported to have been found with National Limited cars, Black diamond cars, but were usually found with the smaller 14" 'all IVES' cars. The freight cars in 1928 were the 'all IVES' freight cars, in 1929 and 1930 they were the American Flyer bodied cars. To the best of our knowledge these sets never came with Lionel bodied cars.

Circa 1928 - IVES bodied box car found in the early Circus Sets.

Circa 1929-1930 - American Flyer body box car found in the Circus Set.

Circa 1928 - IVES body animal car that came with the 1928 circus set

Circa 1929-30 - IVES body animal car that came with the later circus set

Circa 1928 - These two cars probably came from an early 1928 sets when IVES labeled them both for 'THE IVES RAILWAY SHOW'. Note the circus flat below with the same markings and that all three cars have green trim.

This car is Circa 1980 and was made by Harry Osisek and his dad. They took original Ives cars and restored them to Circus colors and markings. Strangely it was one of these sets that MTH copied when they made their Circus Sets.

The flat above and the several below are self-explanatory. There are variations of these flat cars but for the most part they were the same over the three year period.

Besides being stamped 196C, you can stop a Circus flat on the inside as it has the cage stops, to prevent the cages from rolling off the cars and of course they should have the ramps (below) to unload the cages.

The Circus flat and cages above and below appear to be very late (1930) as they have the decal flat cars. the cars use an axle as a post to hold the cages in.

Side/end view of animal cages

End views of solid sided red and white cages.

Circus animals - we've found different animals in some of these sets and it is likely that IVES didn't make these but bought them from some other toy mfg.

We've put this picture here, but not sure what the story is - rumor is that it was part of a late circus set. It's a 187 car with construction circa 1927 painted in National Limited colors with late trucks / couplers.

Picture of trailing truck from 1134 that was sold with Circus Set - note the gold painted axles.

Found with an original Circus set this is the box that the cages came in.